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Fatal accidental ingestion of 35 % hydrogen peroxide by a 2-year-old female: case report and literature review

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Abstract

Deaths after ingestion of hydrogen peroxide (HP) are very rare, but poisoning due to consumption of HP is not uncommon. Most HP exposure involves common household-strength (3 %) HP and is usually benign. Even if it is not generally considered to be a poison, it can cause accidental death. HP results in morbidity through two main mechanisms: direct cytotoxic injury to tissues and formation of oxygen gas. We describe a rare case of a 2-year-old female who died after accidentally ingesting two sips of 35 % HP. For the first time, we provide histopathological images of the damage caused by HP in organic tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Biology and Genetics, Legal Medicine, Neurosciences, Diagnostic Pathology, Hygiene and Public Health, “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 87, Comparto 10, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Francesca Indorato, Filippa Maria Tropea, Nunziata Barbera & Angela Grieco

  2. Section of Legal Medicine, INAIL, Enna, Italy

    Cataldo Raffino

  3. Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Giovanni Bartoloni

Authors
  1. Francesca Indorato
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  2. Cataldo Raffino
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  3. Filippa Maria Tropea
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  4. Nunziata Barbera
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  5. Angela Grieco
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  6. Giovanni Bartoloni
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Correspondence to Francesca Indorato.

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Indorato, F., Raffino, C., Tropea, F.M. et al. Fatal accidental ingestion of 35 % hydrogen peroxide by a 2-year-old female: case report and literature review. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 10, 443–447 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9560-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9560-9

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